Red Sox Beat: Offense quieted again in 2-1 loss to Cubs

The Red Sox aren't particularly good at winning games this season, and they're terrible at scoring runs.

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By Eric AvidonDaily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Eric AvidonDaily News staff

Posted Jul. 1, 2014 at 11:56 PM
Updated Jul 2, 2014 at 12:00 AM

By Eric AvidonDaily News staff

Posted Jul. 1, 2014 at 11:56 PM
Updated Jul 2, 2014 at 12:00 AM

» Social News

BOSTON — The Red Sox aren't particularly good at winning games this season, and they're terrible at scoring runs.

But they're fantastic at making lousy opposing pitching appear brilliant.

In Tuesday night's installment of the Red Sox vs. A Bad Starter, the Cubs' Edwin Jackson was the journeyman the Boston bats made look like an All-Star. Jackson, with the help of the Chicago bullpen, limited the Red Sox to a single run and Boston wasted a solid start by Clay Buchholz.

Finally, with both starters gone, the Cubs scored in the top of the ninth against Koji Uehara to take a 2-1 decision.

"It gets frustrating at times, particularly with the number of opportunities we continue to create," said manager John Farrell. "That's the thing that we have to continue to focus on internally, is that the opportunities are there, and yet at times we're not cashing in."

With the game tied 1-1 after eight, Uehera was summoned to lock down the Cubs in the top of the ninth and give the Red Sox a chance to walk off in the bottom of the inning.

Instead, Anthony Rizzo led off with a first-pitch single to center field, Starlin Castro hit a double to left to move Rizzo to third, and Welington Castillo lofted a one-out fly ball deep enough to right to score Rizzo.

Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless ninth for the Cubs to earn his 11th save.

Uehara, who lost just once last year and had a 1.09 earned run average, is now 3-2 with a 1.40 ERA this season.

"You can't not give up a run every time out, that's impossible," Buchholz said when asked about Uehara. "As far as I'm concerned, he's the best closer in the game. ... Things happen. The game is hard. You could throw 120 miles per hour and someone's going to get a hit off you and score a run."

The one run the Red Sox mustered is the one run they've scored through two games against the Cubs. It was the 15th time in the last 22 games they scored two or fewer, and they're averaging just 3.04 runs in their last 28 games dating back to the end of the bizarre stretch when the first lost 10 in a row and the won seven straight.

The Red Sox are 11-17 in those 28 games yet remain optimistic, or perhaps in denial.

"You've just gotta keep fighting," said Dustin Pedroia, who had three hits. "You've gotta believe it's going to turn around. ... Every day is a new day. You play a lot of baseball games. We're not thinking it's going to go the other way.

"We're thinking that tomorrow we're going come out and play well and win games."

Jackson entered Tuesday with a robust 5.22 earned run average, but still the Red Sox did little against him.

Page 2 of 2 - As Farrell noted, they had chances, but didn't come through often enough in the clutch, going 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 men on base.

They put runners in scoring position in the second and fourth innings, but were unable to push a run across. Finally, in the fifth, they broke through.

Jackie Bradley Jr. stroked a two-out double to left field, went to third on a single by Brock Holt, and scored when Dustin Pedroia's line drive ticked off the glove of leaping Chicago shortstop Starlin Castro.

David Ortiz walked to load the bases, but instead of delivering the hit that would have broken the game open Mike Napoli grounded into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

Jackson worked around a leadoff single by A.J. Pierzynski in the sixth, and four relievers shut out the Red Sox over the final three innings.

Jackson gave up one run on six hits, walked four and struck out three, though Pedro Strop (1-3) got the win in relief.

With his performance, Jackson joins a growing list of mediocre starting pitchers who have shut down the Red Sox that includes Bud Norris, Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Vidal Nuno, and Jake Arrietta — all in the last month.

Buchholz was just as good, but never got the needed support.

He retired 13 Cubs in a row at one point, and the lone run he allowed came in the sixth. Justin Ruggiano led off with a double, went to third on a single by Darwin Barney, and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Chris Coghlan.

Buchholz — who's now delivered two solid starts since returning from the disabled list after his ERA rose to a scary 7.02 through his first 10 outings — gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings, struck out two, walked none, and hit two batters.

"It will click for the offense and the staff together," said Buchholz. "It's not like it's never going to work out."

But until it does click for the lineup, the Red Sox will continue making bad opposing pitchers look brilliant.

And lose games.

Eric Avidon can be reached at 508-626-3809 or eavidon@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericavidon.